With over 600,000 businesses being targeted by criminals every year in the UK, security guards play a crucial role in deterring, identifying, and apprehending the perpetrators of crime. Businesses that employ security personnel services are less likely to be targeted because of the strong visual presence that officers provide, while staff and customers will feel safer and happier.
Crime against business assumes many forms, from antisocial behaviour and vandalism to theft and fraud. In this article, we’ll discuss the areas of industry that would most benefit from a strong, visible security personnel presence on their sites.
Retail
With over 295,000 reports of shoplifting to police in England and Wales in 2022 - and many more unreported incidents – shops are particularly vulnerable to theft. Aisles of valuable stock prove tempting to both seasoned criminals and spur-of-the-moment shoplifters, particularly in shops where a low-security presence reduces the chance of detection. Manned security guards are an effective deterrent as criminals will be aware they will be monitored and apprehended when they try to leave the premises with their stolen goods.
Financial Services
Banks, building societies, and other financial institutions require a comprehensive security net to protect their premises, assets, staff, and customers from serious crime. Crime against banks may be hostile and violent, such as armed robbery, or inconspicuous, such as fraud. Manned security services strongly deter criminals from targeting financial institutions, as suspicious behaviour is likely to be observed more quickly and the police summoned should an emergency arise.
Industrial Facilities
Manufacturing plants and warehouses require effective protection as large volumes of expensive stock and equipment are often stored on-site. For example, metals are frequently stolen from industrial premises due to their high value, with over 30,000 incidents recorded in England and Wales in 2021-2022. Often located in sites that are unoccupied during evenings and weekends, industrial facilities are vulnerable to crime and benefit from a strong, visible security presence which will discourage offenders from targeting them.
Healthcare
There are numerous reasons why a healthcare facility could benefit from manned security. Valuable equipment and medication are vulnerable to theft, while aggressive patients pose a risk to the health and well-being of staff and cause distress to others awaiting treatment. As well as providing an effective deterrent to crime, a security officer who is trained in de-escalation will be able to intervene to resolve disputes and prevent an emotional confrontation from becoming aggressive.
Schools, Colleges, And Universities
Safeguarding requires all students in schools and colleges to be protected against crime. While expensive equipment stored on-site, such as computers, is attractive to thieves, threats don’t come solely from outside: aggressive students or parents, for example, pose a risk to others and can result in learners and staff feeling unsafe in what should be a secure environment. On-site security personnel can be on-hand to protect staff and students if an incident occurs and ensure that everyone can participate in their studies without risk to their wellbeing.
Contact Kingdom To Find Out More
At Kingdom, we provide professional and trustworthy security personnel to different industries to counter current and emerging threats.
To find out more about our services, please call us on 0330 022 9422.
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